The joint venture will focus on the repair and maintenance of urban public transit vehicles in China, offering customers the services of daily maintenance, intermediate repairs, overhauls, refurbishment, and technical consultation.

The joint venture intends to leverage each company's expertise 'in terms of technologies, equipment, and businesses to deliver high quality, reliable trains that are safe to operate," Bombardier said. "It will harness Bombardier's global capability in providing whole life services for metros in which its state-of-the-art technologies will reduce down times and extend the life of the Chinese operator's fleets."

Jianwei Zhang, president of Bombardier China, said: "This joint venture for metro cars maintenance marks a new milestone for Bombardier Transportation business in China. Through its participation in a number of railway projects in China, by successfully providing rail vehicles, signaling, propulsion, locomotives, light rail transit and automated people movers, Bombardier has earned an excellent reputation and has gained a great understanding of the specific needs of the Chinese rail market."

Said Bombardier Transportation President Services Laurent Troger, "Today's announcement underlines our long standing relationship with Shanghai Shentong. Bombardier looks forward to a mutually beneficial partnership that will provide world class services to our customers in China. We are committed to making this collaboration a great success as part of Bombardier's overall strategy of working in partnership to develop China's rapidly expanding rail network."

The strategic partnership also will deliver a new level of after-market service and support in the region.